‘What a shame HMV is disappearing’, I said to a colleague a few days ago, echoing the thoughts of thousands across the country, I’m sure; ‘I still remember the first time I went into their Oxford Street store’. This was one lunchtime, and I was busy searching Amazon for a 1st birthday pressie for a friend’s baby. The irony. I’m as guilty as anyone for taking the default option and buying most things online nowadays. Particularly those for Scrip.

When I was pregnant, I took great pleasure in popping into Mamas and Papas, Mothercare and The Little White Company and browsing the aisles of all sorts of baby bits and pieces. Everything was so pretty (we knew we were having a girl) and so miniature! And there was so much choice. But that’s when I had a bit more money and a lot more time.

Now I buy the majority of Scrip’s essentials – and some lovely extras – online. My friends and I swap tips and links for the best places to buy nappies in bulk, find robust travel cots, swimming rings and baby toys on the web. I’ve introduced a few friends to eBay and they’re busy searching for their snowsuits and selling their sterilisers to the highest bidders.